Music library system

ABSTRACT

A music library system that is adapted for the storage of sheet music, is designed for semi-permanent installation in a room having adjoining walls and a floor and includes a frame that is fixedly, removably coupled to the floor and to at least one wall of the room. The frame defines a plurality of drawer openings. A plurality of drawers are movably supported on the floor. Each of the plurality of drawers is disposed in a retracted disposition in close proximity to at least one other drawer in a corresponding drawer opening. The drawers are extendable from the frame outwardly from the wall to an extended disposition wherein a drawer side opening is exposed. The drawer side opening provides access to the stored sheet music.

RELATED APPLICATIONS

This is a continuation of Application Ser. No. 08/958,327 filed Oct. 28,1997, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,924,779.

The present invention claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional ApplicationSer. No. 60/030,407 filed Nov. 1, 1996 and incorporated herein in itsentirety by reference.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a storage system. More particularly,the present invention relates to a storage system particularly adaptedfor storing sheet music.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

There is a need in the industry for a space efficient and readilyaccessible system for storing sheet music. An average band, orchestra,or choir with one thousand titles requires substantial storage space.Storage for the sheet music is typically done in four-drawer filecabinets. A disadvantage of four-drawer file cabinets is that more thana dozen of such cabinets is required to store the sheet music for theaforementioned one thousand titles. A dozen four-drawer file cabinetstake up eighteen feet of wall space.

Another means of storing such sheet music is in side-by-side, laterallytranslatable shelves. Such laterally translatable shelves have thedisadvantage of always having enough space between at least two of theshelves in order for a person to walk into the space to retrieve storedmaterials. Additionally, the side-by-side type design requires anextensive track system that is permanently affixed to the floor.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The music library system of the present invention substantially meetsthe aforementioned needs. The present music library system permitsstorage of the same amount of sheet music that may be stored in morethan a dozen four-drawer file cabinets in a system that takes up lessthan seven feet of wall space. Further, a great number of titles may besystematically organized and readily viewed when stored in the musiclibrary system for rapid retrieval. This systemization substantiallydeceases the amount of time spent in searching for specific titles.

The music library system of the present invention is readily movable andmay be readily installed over floors surfaced with industrial carpet,wood, and tile. Preferably, the frame of the music library system isconstructed of 7/8 inch tubular steel and the shelves are formed ofplywood-core material featuring a protective polyester laminate. Eachunit is preferably 44 inches deep and 16 inches wide in the closedposition. The total depth required for each unit is 80 inches toaccommodate the unit in the open position.

A music library system of the present invention is adapted for thestorage of sheet music and is designed for semi-permanent installationin a room having adjoining walls and a floor. The music library systemincludes a frame that is fixedly, removably coupled to the floor and toat least one wall of the room. The frame defines a plurality of draweropenings. A plurality of drawers are movably supported on the floor.Each of the plurality of drawers is disposed in a retracted dispositionin close proximity to at least one other drawer in a correspondingdrawer opening. The drawers are extendable from the frame outwardly fromthe wall to an extended disposition wherein a drawer side opening isexposed. The drawer side opening provides access to the stored sheetmusic.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the music library system of the presentinvention with drawer in the extended disposition;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the frame of the music library systemwith the tie bars depicted in an exploded relationship thereto;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the frame of the music library systemwith a single drawer in a partially extended disposition;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the rear portion of a drawer of themusic library system;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the bumper bar disposed on a drawer ofthe music library system;

FIG. 6 is a top elevational view of the bumper bar of FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a side elevational view of the frame in a drawer of the musiclibrary system;

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the cable stop coupled to a drawer ofthe music library system; and

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the lower portion of a drawer of themusic library system, broken away to reveal the wheel trucks mountedtherein.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The music library system of the present invention is shown generally at10 in the figures. As depicted in FIG. 1, the music library system 10has two major components: frame 12 and drawers 14.

The frame 12 includes a wall channel 16. The wall channel 16 is securelyaffixed to the rear wall 17 of the room in which the music librarysystem 10 is installed. Wall channel 16 is preferably affixed to therear wall 17 by screws 18 that are passed through bores (not shown)defined in a wall channel 16 and then threadedly engaged with a studsupporting the rear wall 17. Alternatively, where the rear wall 17 is amasonry wall, the wall channel 16 may be affixed to the rear wall 17 bythe use of screws 18 turned into fiber anchors (not shown) driven intobores (not shown) defined in the masonry rear wall 17. The installationis semi-permanent. Removal of the music library system 10 is simply thereverse of the installation procedures and is relatively easilyaccomplished.

The plurality of front upright standards 20 and rear upright standards21 provide the vertical support of the frame 12. Each front standard 20is paired with a rear standard 21. The paired standards 20, 21 are eachconnected with a lower cross brace 22 and an upper cross brace 24. Theframe 12 is preferably formed of relatively small section aluminum orsteel tubes. The relatively small size is made possible by the fact thatthe frame 12 does not support any of the mass of the drawers 14. Thedrawers 14 are supported by the floor of the room in which the musiclibrary system 10 is installed.

In order to increase the stability of the music library system 10, it ishelpful to install the music library system 10 in a corner of a room,where the music library system 10 may be tied into the adjoining wallsof the room. Accordingly, the wall side upper cross brace 24a is securedto the sidewall 25 by screws 26 in a manner similar to that previouslydescribed with respect to the wall channel 16. An alternative means ofattachment of the wall side up across brace 24a to the sidewall 25 is bymeans of an L-shaped bracket 30. A leg of the bracket 30 is positionedflush with the underside of the wall side up across brace 24a andaffixed thereto by means of a screw. The second leg of the bracket 30 ispositioned flush with the sidewall 25 and affixed thereto by means of ascrew as previously described. The bracket 30 has the advantage of beingable to position the wall side upper cross brace 24a a slight distanceaway from the sidewall 25 while still firmly affixing the frame 12 tothe sidewall 25.

Each of the standards 20, 21 has a foot 32. The foot 32 may be affixedto the floor of the room in which the music library system 10 isinstalled by means of a single screw through one of the two bores 34provided in the foot 32. Where the floor is a wood floor, the screw maybe turned directly into the wood. Where the floor is concrete, the screwmay be turned into a fiber anchor as previously described. While twobores 34 are depicted in each foot 32, it is usually only necessary touse a single screw in a single bore 34 to adequately secure the foot 32to the floor.

As depicted in FIG. 2, tie bars 36 are utilized to couple adjacent frontstandards 20 to each other. The tie bars 36 have L-shaped opposed ends38. Each of the L-shaped ends 38 has a depending locking tab 40. Thelocking tab 40 is designed to be inserted in the aperture 42 defined inthe front standard 20. It should be noted that the L-shaped ends 38 ofalternate tie bars 36 are reversed so that the locking tab 40 of two tiebars 36 may be inserted in a single aperture 42 of a front standard 20.This usage is evident in viewing the center front standard 20 depictedin FIG. 2.

As depicted in FIG. 3, a spacer bar 44 may be provided in order toassist in the erection of the music library system 10 at the site inwhich it is installed. The spacer bar 44 is utilized to ensure that thespacing between adjacent front standards 20 and between adjacent rearstandards 21 is the proper distance for accommodating the drawers 14.The spacer bar 44 has a pair of spaced apart cross brace cutouts 46defined therein. The cross brace cutouts 46 are spaced apart the precisedistance that adjacent front standards 20 and rear standards 21 shouldbe apart. By placing the spacer bar over adjacent lower cross braces 22,the correct distance between adjacent front standards 20 and betweenadjacent rear standards 21 may be properly set prior to affixing thefoot 32 thereof to the floor.

Each of the drawers 14 has two major components: base 50 and shelf unit52. The base 50 of the drawers 14 is depicted in FIGS. 1, 3, and 4, withdetail presented in FIGS. 5 and 9. Referring to FIG. 3, the base 50 hasa front panel 54 that extends downward from the open side of the shelfunit 52, a rear panel 56 (viewable in FIGS. 5 and 9), a top panel 58,the upper surface of which forms the bottom shelf of the shelf unit 52,a full side panel 60, which forms both the side of the shelf unit 52 andof the base 50, and an inner side panel 64 (viewable in FIGS. 5 and 9).The base 50 has a greater depth than the shelf unit 52. Accordingly astep 62 is formed by a portion of the top panel 58 at the inner side ofthe base 50. The bottom of the base 50 is open.

The shelf unit 52 is formed integral with portions of the base 50. Theshelf unit 52 has an inner side panel 66 that extends upward from thetop panel 58 of the base 50. A rear panel 68 is designed to be installedon either side of a shelf unit 50. This flexibility is evident in FIGS.3 and 4 where the rear panel 68 has been reversed from the dispositiondepicted in FIG. 3 to the disposition depicted in FIG. 4.

A top panel 72 extends inward from the full side panel 60. A portion ofthe top panel 72 overlies the step 62 formed by the base 50.

A structural shelf 70 is included within the shelf unit 52. Thestructural shelf 70 is utilized to increase the structural rigidity ofthe shelf unit 52. Accordingly, the structural shelf 70 is affixed tothe full side panel 60, the rear panel 68, and the inner side panel 66by screws 74 passed through bores 76 defined in the aforementionedpanels. A plurality of adjustable shelves 80 are supported on pegs 82.The pegs 82 are supported in peg holes 84 defined in the inner directedside of the full side panel 60 and of the inner side panel 66.

Referring to FIG. 9, the shelf unit 52 is supported on two trucks 90.The trucks 90 are substantially concealed within the base 50. Each ofthe trucks 90 has a pair of mounting plates 92. The mounting plates 92are bolted to the underside of the top panel 58 of the base 50 by legbolts 94. A fixed shaft 96 depends from each of the mounting plates 92.The fixed shaft 96 is preferably fixedly coupled to a wheel mount 98.Each wheel mount 98 rotatably supports a wheel 100 on an axle 102. Theground engaging wheels 100 are visible in FIG. 7.

Two means of restraint are provided in order to prevent a user frompulling a drawer 14 free from the frame 12. The first of such restraintsis the bumper bar 104, as depicted in FIGS. 5 and 6. The bumper bar 104is mounted on a channel bracket. The channel bracket 106 is in turnaffixed to both the top panel 58 and the inner side panel by bolts 108.The bumper bar 104 is mounted to the innermost upright portion 114 ofthe channel bracket 106 by bolts 110 and nuts 112. The bumper bar 104 ispreferably longer than the width of the base 50 and is mounted such thatboth ends of the bumper bar 104 project beyond the base 50. Each end ofthe bumper bar 104 has a resilient bumper 116 mounted thereto.

As depicted in FIG. 6, the bumper bar 104 is offset. In FIG. 6, thelarge opening that provides access to the shelf unit 52 is to the rightand the rear panel 68 is to the left. The offsetting of the bumper bar104 places the resilient bumper 116 that is on the right side of thebumper bar 104 in the leading position when the drawer 14 is withdrawnfrom the frame 12.

The second restraint is a stop cable 120. Detail of the stop cable 120is depicted in FIG. 8. The stop cable 120 is affixed at a first end by abolt 122 to the wall channel 16. The stop cable 120 is affixed at itssecond end by a bolt 126 that passes through the top panel 72 and abracket 128 that is positioned in the angle formed by the inner sidepanel 64 and the underside of the overhang of the top panel 72. Asdepicted in FIG. 7, the length of the stop cable 120 is such that thestop cable 120 becomes taut at substantially the same point ofwithdrawal of the drawer 14 from the frame 14 that causes the leadingoffset resilient bumper 116 to come into contact with the front standard20 that is positioned on the open side of the drawer 14. Accordingly,the outward travel of the drawer 14 with respect to the frame 12 isarrested both at the top of the drawer 14 and at the bottom of thedrawer 14 substantially simultaneously.

While the preferred embodiment of the present invention has beenillustrated and described herein, it is to be understood that theinvention is not limited to the precise construction so illustrated anddescribed. Accordingly, it is intended that the scope of the presentinvention be dictated by the scope of the appended claims and not by thedescription of the preferred embodiment.

What is claimed is:
 1. A music library system, for semi-permanentinstallation in a room, the room having adjoining walls and a floor,comprising:a frame being semi-permanently couplable to a supportingfloor and being couplable to at least one adjoining room wall, the framedefining a plurality of drawer openings; a plurality of front uprightstandards defining a frame front plane a plurality of drawers, each ofthe plurality of drawers having a side opening for providing access to aplurality of shelves and being movably supportable on the floor, each ofthe plurality of drawers being disposable in a retracted disposition inclose proximity to at least one other drawer in a corresponding draweropening, the drawers being shiftable between the retracted dispositionand an extended disposition, the extended disposition being outwardlydirected with respect to the frame front plane, each of the plurality ofdrawers having a drawer side wall, the drawer side walls cooperating topresent a substantially planar front surface when in the retracteddisposition; and guide means for providing a guide restraint for each ofthe plurality of drawers during shifting between the retracted and theextended dispositions.
 2. The music library system as claimed in claim 1further including restraint means for limiting the amount of travel thata drawer may be extended.
 3. The music library system as claimed inclaim 2 wherein the restraint means includes a cable stop correspondingto each of the plurality of drawers, each cable stop having a first endoperably coupled to the frame and a second end operably coupled to thecorresponding drawer.
 4. The music library system as claimed in claim 2wherein the restraint means includes a resilient bumper, the resilientbumper being operably coupled to a drawer and abutting a portion of theframe to arrest the extension of the drawer from the frame.
 5. The musiclibrary system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the moveable support ofeach of the plurality of drawers is provided by a plurality of floorengaging wheels, the wheels being operably coupled to a selected drawerof the plurality of drawers.
 6. The music library system as claimed inclaim 5 wherein the moveable support of each of the plurality of drawersis provided by a pair of spaced apart trucks, each truck having aplurality of floor engaging wheels operably coupled thereto and beingoperably coupled to a selected drawer of the plurality of drawers. 7.The music library system as claimed in claim 1 wherein each of theplurality of drawers has a plurality of shelves disposed therein, atleast one of said shelves being operably fixedly coupled thereto forproviding structural support to a drawer.
 8. The music library system asclaimed in claim 1 wherein the side opening of each of the plurality ofdrawers is substantially hidden from view when a drawer is in theretracted disposition.
 9. The music library system as claimed in claim 1wherein the frame includes a plurality of upright standards, the uprightstandards being paired, the pairs of upright standards being spacedapart to define the plurality of drawer openings therebetween.
 10. Amusic library system, for semi-permanent installation in a room, theroom having adjoining walls and a floor, comprising:a frame beingsemi-permanently couplable to a supporting floor and being couplable toat least one adjoining room wall, the frame defining a plurality ofdrawer openings; a plurality of drawers being movably supportable on thefloor, each of the plurality of drawers being disposed in a retracteddisposition in close proximity to at least one other drawer in acorresponding drawer opening, the drawers being shiftable between aclosed disposition proximate the wall and an extended dispositiondisplaced from the retracted disposition; guide means for providing aguide restraint for each of the plurality of drawers during shiftingbetween the retracted and the extended dispositions; and restraint meansfor limiting the amount of travel that a drawer may be extendedincluding a cable stop corresponding to each of the plurality ofdrawers, each cable stop having a first end operably coupled to theframe and a second end operably coupled to the corresponding drawer.